From The Depths of Heart & Soul
by tshreyu
Summary: Batman gives Clark advice - Clex
1. Chapter 1

**From the Depths of Heart & Soul!**

**Chapter 1**

"Why don't you kill him and just get it over with!!", Batman was furious.

Superman was lying on the terrace of LexCorp Towers, bleeding heavily, his costume torn up everywhere, exposing deep cuts in his golden thighs and arms. He was having trouble breathing and pissed-off Batman was not helping.

"You…think…I try…*cough*. Hes…kryptonite beams," Superman said, his voice barely audible.

"You don't try hard enough..!" The accusation angered Superman and he was pulling himself up, when Flash stopped him.

"Will you just shut up, Batman! We first need to take him away and get him healthy again. You can yell as much as you want later. Now, come here and help me get him to the chopper."

Sudden burst of bossiness from Flash surprised Batman and he did as he was told. All the while he muttered under his breath, "…strongest being on earth…hell entire Justice League at his back…and what? He fails take down one, _one, _human…damn Luthor…with all his kryptoni…" he trailed off, and no one paying any attention to him anyway.

Three days later, Clark had recovered completely, but he was being kept at the JL HQ for one more day, just to be sure.

Clark was getting bored and was about to go find someone just to talk and catch up on all the News, when Batman entered.

"Well, well, well…you seem…healthy today.."

"Thanx, Bruce. I am as good as new."

"Good. I guess we can talk then?"

Clark knew, he couldn't avoid this, so sooner its over the better. He sighed deeply and resigned, "What about, Bruce?"

"About you and Lex Luthor," he raised a eyebrow questioningly at Clark, who shook his head, lowered his lashes and smiled.

"There _is _no Me and Lex Luthor, Bruce. He is just one hell of an enemy. Smart, intelligent with a real destructive mind…it's a lethal combination."

"You know what I think?"

"I am sure you are going to tell me, whether I want to hear or not."

"I think, if you really wanted to, I mean from the depths of heart and soul wanted to, you could have stopped Luthor the first time."

"And by 'stop' you mean killed him"

Batman/Bruce didn't say anything, just small nods and continued, "Hell, you know what Clark, for that matter Lex Luthor would have ended you, if he.."

"…_really wanted to," _Clark cut him off. "I don't know what things keep running in your mind, Bruce, but surely you must have noticed, its not child's play to kill me. Neither is it any less difficult to murder Lex. For God's sake, the man emerged unscathed from like thousands of assassination attempts, most of which were by his own father!"

"You were friends in Smallville, right? I don't think it was friendship."

"You are so right Bruce, it was disguised animosity!", Clark said sarcastically, glint of anger in his eyes, voice dripping with bitterness.

_How the hell can he understand what we had, _Clark thought

"Actually, I was thinking more on the lines of... 'something more than friendship'?"

_Or maybe he did…_

Clark's head snapped up, surprised, his jaw dropped open and mouth had suddenly gone dry. There is no way Bruce hadn't noticed.

Bruce smiled as he watched thousand emotions wash over Clark's face in matter of seconds.

"I take that as a 'Yes'."

That brought Clark back and he started blurting out denials immediately, "No! ofcourse not…it is…not like that…"

Bruce waved his hands to make Clark shut-up and said intensely, "Your battles are like lovers' tiffs Clark, only on a very large scale. I mean look who we are talking about. You are _Superman _and he is _the Lex Luthor. _You both never do anything normal, do you?"

"Its nothing like that Bruce, really, trust me."

"Really? Then why do you go make sure he is being taken care of when he gets injured badly? Why do you go hover around and X-ray to see if he is OK? Think I didn't know?"

Clark didn't say anything, just lowered his head.

"Don't be embarrassed Clark. Your _Lex_ is no different."

Clark looked up, his eyes hopeful and eager. "Yes, he makes his _people_ call HQ and get info on your health, under the disguise of a 'Superman Fan'. _Everytime_. As if that would work, I mean who has the number to this place, except us? Besides, Lex has known Clark Kent is Superman since forever, but he has not disclosed your identity, Clark, guarded it like his own. Why do _you_ think he does that?"

"How would I know? His mind works in strange ways."

"Well it definitely doesn't work the straight way. No pun intended…" He watched, amused, as Clark twitched into what could only be called a smile, and blushed furiously.

Bruce shook his head, sighed and continued, "Anyway, when I tracked down the mystery caller, I took pity, and asked them to release limited information to this one person."

Clark's expression went from concerned to thankful. Bruce stood up to leave, "Huh..Think about it Clark, don't let trivial things like pride and anger and… ego be the obstacles."

_Look who's preaching._

Clark was looking at the floor all the time and was unable to believe what Bruce was hinting at. He mumbled, "He's evil. What's there to think about?"

Bruce stopped at the door, looked over his shoulder, "Maybe, all he wants…needs, is to loose his heart all over again."

Clark really didn't know what he was supposed to do. Almost ten years of being enemies..he cant just drop everything go over and declare, "_What do you know Lex, I am in love with you. How about we fuck and call it a truce?" Ya, that would go down well!_ He had no idea how to proceed from here. But he guessed it was worth a shot…If there is any possibility that telling Lex about his feelings would save him, he had to do it…One last sincere effort to save Lex, to have a chance at happy-ending.


	2. Chapter 2

**From the Depths of Heart & Soul!**

**Chapter 2**

Lex was asleep, when he heard a distinct whoosh. A light-sleeper, he was startled awake, immediately going for the lights and the gun in side-table drawer.

"What the hell! Who the fuck are you…"

He trailed off as he recognized the intruder. "Cla…I mean, Superman? You know, humans like to be deep in sleep at 3 am."

"This is Clark, Lex."

Lex let his eyes roam over Clark's body and said, intrigued, "You are not wearing your suit.."

Clark nodded, his eyes studying Lex intensely, as if devouring him. Lex almost shuddered under his gaze. He wanted Clark to look at him like that for so long, God! But now…he couldn't, just couldn't take it.

So he looked away and asked, desperate for Clark to leave, "What do you want, _Clark?"_

Then he got frustrated, and before Clark could answer, raised his voice, "No, wait. First tell me what the hell are you doing here? I mean, you never ever entered the penthouse, not even as Superman and suddenly today you fly in through the balcony as Clark?"

"Ya, about that, your defenses are really weak."

Lex was really getting pissed at how calm Clark was acting. _Didn't he realize how dangerous it could be if someone had spotted him flying in civilian clothes? What if someone recognized him and went after his friends? Sometimes Clark can be so naïve…_

Lex pulled himself back together, schooled his face into business-like expression, "Well, I didn't know that. But then you never broke in so…I will have to ask my people to thicken the kryptonite layer three-times. Gonna cost a lot."

"You know what I think?", he asked, taking the cue from Batman, praying to God it works on Lex, just like it did on him.

Lex didn't say anything, but his face showed mild curiosity, so Clark went on, "I think, you knew very well that _that.._"pointing at the balcony_, _"…couldn't stop me. But then you never meant to keep me out, now, did you?"

"I don't know what you are talking about." Lex was wearing his best innocent look. Clark had to chuckle, why did he think Lex would give in so easily?

"OK Lex, why didn't you tell the world _I _was Superman?"

"Why should I? It wouldn't have done me any good.", As an afterthought he put in, "Plus, nobody asked, or I am sure…I would have…told them."

"Liar." Clark said affectionately, and moved to sit on the bed, not very far from Lex. Lex stiffened immediately, drawing the sheets closer to his chest. He was thinking it would have been better if was wearing a t-shirt, but atleast he had pajamas on.

None of them really knew where this was going, or would it really end where they _actually_ wanted it to. One seemed to be chasing while other is determined on running away. They were going round in circles and Clark knew that was not going to get them anywhere.

He looked tired, slouched, trying to figure out what should be the next move. At this point, just jumping Lex, grabbing him and kissing him hard into the eternity seemed so right and _tempting. _But he knew if he did that he would loose Lex forever, because Lex doesn't like to be left with no choice.

Bingo! There it was. All Clark needed to do was give Lex a choice, a sincere, honest choice.

None of them spoke anything and the long silence was getting uncomfortable, so Clark said, "What happened, Lex? What happened to us?"

There was concern, caring, hope, disappointment, vagueness, everything blend together in his voice. Lex knew the question was much more than the words, it was the one on he dreaded. Because he didn't have the answer, he hated not having the answers, being clueless like this…yet, here he was.

When there was no answer, Clark decided to go for it, "Why did you keep checking up on me Lex? Past few days? Why did you want to know so badly I was OK? You hate me, right?"

Lex knew denying would be no help, "I don't hate _you_, Clark. Quite the contrary actually…I lo.. " He stopped himself just in time, sighed heavily, "Forget it. What I mean…is that my battle is with Superman, that doesn't mean I don't still want to make sure _you_ are absolutely fine."

Huh. Clark wasn't fooled atall. Lex was in love with him, still, just like he was and was hurting to the core. "You know Lex, when we were in Smallville there were lot of rumours floating about us. Chloe used to tease me calling you my 'Sugar Daddy'. But that was all not true…."

"Nothing was going on between us, except friendship…"

"Hmm..even then I _knew_." Lex looked up immediately, worried. Clark smiled, "Yes, Lex, I knew and I also knew that if _I _wanted something to happen, I had to make the first move."

Lex was shocked, couldn't believe what Clark was saying. So Clark leaned forward and cupped his head, thumb stroking his cheek lightly, "And I planned to. I wasn't _that _oblivious Lex. If I wasn't just 16, and scared and shy with parents like the Kents…and alien, for that matter, I would have done something."

_This was not happening, not now. _"What do you want, Clark?", his voice hitched, body had gone rigid. He didn't realize he was holding his breath while waiting for the answer, dreading it…almost hoping it would be what he dreamed of…

"I want another chance, Lex."

Lex relaxed, knew his heart was doing ballet as if those words were music, but he just had to know, "Why now, Clark? After all this time.."

"Because I have been stupid, didn't realize what my best friend needed, until now. But isn't it better late than never? Because I am tired, Lex, tired of fighting you all the time. Tired of watching you go to bed exhausted and lonely, while my heart breaks into thousand pieces knowing what we could make together. I am tired of being hopeless. I am …I am just tired, Lex. I want to know you will be safe and happy. _I_ want to be happy, have a family. Because I know we have a destiny together, and _this_ is not it."

Lex's eyes were blurry and when Clark finished he took a deep breath and closed them. A single tear-drop fell onto his cheek. Clark bent down and kissed it away. Lex leaned into the touch, feeling light and safe for the first time ever.

"OK", it was said so slowly, it was barely audible. He could feel Clark smile against his skin. He pulled away only to grab Clark's mouth in a deep hot kiss. A few minutes and numerous kisses later both involuntarily fell asleep in each others arms.

It was almost 11 next morning, when Clark was awakened as his cell went off. He gently pulled himself out of bed, trying not to wake Lex, and went into the bathroom.

He couldn't help but smile when he heard Batman on the other side, "Superman, there has been a bank robbery with hostages.."

Clark cut him off before he could give anymore details, "Bruce, it's a bank robbery; I think you can take care of it yourself?"

There was a long pause that worried Clark, "What?"

"I know where you are."

"Bruce, its.."

"I am just glad you took my advice. So here's another one: just fuck and get it over with."

The line was cut-off before Clark could respond. He looked at the phone for few seconds, smiled and shook his head.

He stood in the door and looked at the bed where Lex was still sleeping like baby, Clark knew, after a very long time. A goofy smile was plying on his face but he didn't mind, as once again climbed into bed with his soon-to-be-lover.

_There was hope, afterall_


End file.
